Hundreds of people with multiple
sclerosis are using medicinal cannabis to treat their condition under a
UK-wide trial.

One of these is Jane Pengelley from
Plymouth, who says she hopes if the drug proves useful, it will be made
available to those who would benefit.

Since developing multiple sclerosis,
she has seen the quality of her life deteriorate and she is unable to walk
or use her hands.

She said: "We are not talking about
a cure for MS but anything that makes life a little bit more bearable would
be hopeful, anything, because we don't have a cure at the moment.

"Anything would be helpful, after
going from not being able to give yourself anything that helps you through
life, it would just be a huge benefit."

She hopes those in positions of power
who argue over whether or not to legalise cannabis, try to see beyond the
moral issues and look more closely at the medical benefits.

She said: "A lot of these people
who say things are not involved in the way of going through having to fight
against anything but they make maybe high-handed decisions about people
like myself or people like anybody else who may benefit from such things."

She is optimistic that attitudes
might change in the next few years if the health benefits of cannabis are
proven.

She said: "I'm just hopeful, but
not ever so hopeful.

"It's just a possibility I don't
know if it will help me or anyone else and that's what we are trying to
find out here, whether it's helpful or not, we just don't know."

The results of the Medical Research
Council's trials are expected by the end of the year and will be used by
the National Institute for Clinical Excellence in carrying out its appraisal
of the drugs.